Ex-Military Chiefs Divided on Election Strategy Amidst Post-Oct. 7 Reckoning

The current Israeli election campaign is largely defined by the differing perspectives of senior former military officers. One group is perceived as being stuck in the immediate aftermath of the October 7th attacks, focusing on blame and investigations. In contrast, another group of former generals and brigadier generals is looking ahead, addressing security concerns on the ground, political strategy, and necessary conceptual shifts for the IDF. The latter group is notably aligned with the political right.

Prominent figures among those focused on the future include Major General Yossi Bachar, who fought in his kibbutz, Kibbutz Be'eri, and later held a senior role in the Southern Front, and Ofer Winter. The article suggests that those fixated on the events of 6:29 to 6:40 AM on October 7th have not yet moved past that moment.

Avi Gill, former Military Secretary to Prime Minister Netanyahu, characterized some senior former officials as speaking with an "odd authority," attributing their focus to a compulsive discussion of a state commission of inquiry and the deflection of responsibility for the IDF and Shin Bet failures onto the Prime Minister. This is seen as a personal attack on Netanyahu.

A significant political shift is occurring on the right, marked by the alliance of Feiglin with Smotrich, and later with Bachar. Moshe Peled from Kibbutz Beit HaShita was among the first from the pioneering kibbutz movement to openly support Smotrich and his colleagues. The security and settlement figures are concerned with strengthening control over the West Bank and preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state, advocating for a Zionist rather than post-Zionist approach, and proposing the establishment of settlements in the northern Gaza Strip.

Smotrich recently stated his support for extending sovereignty to all territories captured during the war beyond the old lines, including areas in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and Syria. With two and a half weeks until the elections, the left is engaged in a fierce personal attack on Prime Minister Netanyahu, with former security officials contributing to the narrative.

Naftali Bennett is also mentioned as capitalizing on these sentiments. The election's outcome, the article argues, hinges on a choice between dwelling on the October 7th failures through score-settling and investigations, or preparing for the future by leveraging deterrence and territorial gains. The relentless attacks on Netanyahu are framed as a continuation of a long-standing delegitimization campaign against the Likud party, Mizrahi Jews, religious Zionists, Haredim, and settlers. The goal, it suggests, is to suppress right-wing votes by sowing doubt about the Prime Minister.

The right needs to secure a clear coalition of at least 61 seats to avoid political instability and manipulation. The challenge for Netanyahu and the Likud is to formulate a rallying cry that will mobilize voters to the polls.